hten my
ignorance."

"Why, don't you know? We're going to the baths every Wednesday. It's
clean-water day, and the whole school's to go in relays. They've a
ripping teacher of swimming there now, a Miss Morris, who swam the
Channel halfway, or did something else marvellous, I forget exactly
what. Anyway, it's arranged we're to have a proper course of lessons.
I expect every girl in the Form will join."

"It sounds--well, just idyllic!" said Gwen. "Whether I can take it or
not is another question. I shall have to ask at home first."

"Oh, Mr. Gascoyne's sure to say 'yes'. Why shouldn't he? All girls
ought to learn to swim."

It was impossible to explain to Netta that the fee for the course
might prove an insurmountable barrier. Gwen was always too proud to
plead poverty, and hid her father's narrow circumstances from her
schoolmates as well as she could.

"You won't have time to ask before this afternoon," said Netta. "I
advise you to go to the baths, though. I believe the lessons don't
begin till next week, and this is only what you might call a trial
trip, so you could see how you like it. Miss Trent says we can get
bathing dresses there to-day, and bring our own afterwards."

The Rodenhurst girls had not before been taken to the public baths at
Stedburgh, and the swimming course was a new departure of Miss
Roscoe's. The idea proved extremely popular, and almost everybody
wanted at least to sample the experiment.

"Oh, yes, you might go to-day," said Winnie, whom Gwen caught and
consulted in the passage. "There's no great damage in that. You don't
pledge yourself to take the course. Lesbia can go too. Miss Roscoe
said it was to be a special afternoon."

"That's all right, then," said Gwen, rushing jubilantly away.

She was immensely anxious to learn to swim. The bay at Skelwick was so
dangerous that Father would not allow any of them to bathe there, so
as yet she had had no chance of testing her skill in natation. She
loved all kinds of physical sports, they seemed a necessity of her
active, fast-growing young body, and the prospect of trying a new
element was alluring. In the very highest of spirits she joined the
procession of Fifth Form girls that filed off at three o'clock, in
charge of Miss Douglas.

The baths at Stedburgh had only lately been enlarged and re-opened,
and in their improved shape were now quite a feature of the town. They
were supplied with salt water, and could boast great conveniences